The Rational Moderate

State profile

Alabama

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with Alabama’s rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    5,193,088

    U.S.
    341,784,857; Alabama is 1.5% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    24 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.58%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; Alabama is 0.06 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    20 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    39.8 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; Alabama is 0.4 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    21 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $66,659

    plus or minus $780

    U.S.
    $81,604; Alabama is $14,945 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    45 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, New Mexico, or from the next lower state, Oklahoma.
    Price-adjusted
    $75,047, plus or minus $878: income divided by Alabama’s 2024 regional price parity (88.8, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $59,754

    U.S.
    $77,028; Alabama is $17,274 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    49 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $52,216

    U.S.
    $59,195; Alabama is $6,979 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    48 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $65,286

    U.S.
    $90,294; Alabama is $25,008 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    48 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    15.19%

    plus or minus 0.46%

    U.S.
    12.15%; Alabama is 3.04 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    8 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Arkansas, or from the next lower state, Oklahoma.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    88.8

    U.S.
    100.0; Alabama is 11.2 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    45 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $233,300

    plus or minus $2,461

    U.S.
    $360,600; Alabama is $127,300 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    44 of 51. Statistically different from the states ranked just above and below.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $1,077

    plus or minus $16

    U.S.
    $1,487; Alabama is $410 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    40 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Kansas, or from the next lower state, Missouri.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    48.18%

    plus or minus 1.35%

    U.S.
    51.77%; Alabama is 3.59 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    34 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Utah, or from the next lower state, Ohio.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    70.95%

    plus or minus 0.53%

    U.S.
    65.27%; Alabama is 5.68 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    13 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, New Mexico, or from the next lower state, Indiana.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    16.54 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; Alabama is 1.65 cents lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    23 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    16.40 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, Alabama and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

6 cents8 cents10 cents12 cents14 cents16 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearAlabamaUnited States
19906.597.83
19916.698.04
19926.698.21
19936.828.32
19946.698.38
19956.718.40
19966.638.36
19976.748.43
19986.948.26
19997.038.16
20007.058.24
20017.018.58
20027.128.44
20037.398.72
20047.628.95
20058.009.45
20068.7510.40
20079.3210.65
200810.4011.26
200910.6611.51
201010.6711.54
201111.0911.72
201211.4011.88
201311.2612.13
201411.4812.52
201511.7012.65
201611.9912.55
201712.5512.89
201812.1812.87
201912.5313.01
202012.5813.15
202112.9613.66
202214.2515.04
202314.6316.00
202415.1816.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    3.4%

    U.S.
    4.1%; Alabama is 0.7 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    35 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    56.8%

    U.S.
    61.6%; Alabama is 4.8 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    48 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, Alabama and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Alabama: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthAlabamaUnited States
Sept. 20165.85.0
Oct. 20165.84.9
Nov. 20165.74.7
Dec. 20165.64.7
Jan. 20175.44.7
Feb. 20175.24.6
March 20175.04.4
April 20174.84.4
May 20174.64.4
June 20174.54.3
July 20174.34.3
Aug. 20174.24.4
Sept. 20174.14.3
Oct. 20174.04.2
Nov. 20174.04.2
Dec. 20174.04.1
Jan. 20184.04.0
Feb. 20184.04.1
March 20184.04.0
April 20184.04.0
May 20184.03.8
June 20184.04.0
July 20183.93.8
Aug. 20183.93.8
Sept. 20183.93.7
Oct. 20183.83.8
Nov. 20183.83.8
Dec. 20183.83.9
Jan. 20193.74.0
Feb. 20193.63.8
March 20193.43.8
April 20193.33.7
May 20193.23.6
June 20193.03.6
July 20193.03.7
Aug. 20193.03.6
Sept. 20193.03.5
Oct. 20193.03.6
Nov. 20193.03.6
Dec. 20193.13.6
Jan. 20203.23.6
Feb. 20203.33.5
March 20203.44.4
April 202013.814.8
May 202010.413.2
June 20208.611.0
July 20207.510.2
Aug. 20206.38.4
Sept. 20205.97.8
Oct. 20205.26.9
Nov. 20204.86.7
Dec. 20204.56.7
Jan. 20214.26.4
Feb. 20213.96.2
March 20213.86.1
April 20213.76.1
May 20213.65.8
June 20213.55.9
July 20213.45.4
Aug. 20213.25.1
Sept. 20213.04.7
Oct. 20212.94.5
Nov. 20212.84.1
Dec. 20212.73.9
Jan. 20222.64.0
Feb. 20222.63.9
March 20222.63.7
April 20222.63.7
May 20222.63.6
June 20222.63.6
July 20222.63.5
Aug. 20222.63.6
Sept. 20222.53.5
Oct. 20222.53.6
Nov. 20222.43.6
Dec. 20222.33.5
Jan. 20232.33.5
Feb. 20232.33.6
March 20232.33.5
April 20232.33.4
May 20232.33.6
June 20232.43.6
July 20232.43.5
Aug. 20232.53.7
Sept. 20232.63.7
Oct. 20232.73.9
Nov. 20232.83.7
Dec. 20232.83.8
Jan. 20242.93.7
Feb. 20242.93.9
March 20242.93.9
April 20242.93.9
May 20242.93.9
June 20242.94.1
July 20243.04.2
Aug. 20243.04.2
Sept. 20243.14.1
Oct. 20243.14.1
Nov. 20243.14.2
Dec. 20243.14.1
Jan. 20253.14.0
Feb. 20253.04.2
March 20253.04.2
April 20252.94.2
May 20252.94.3
June 20252.94.1
July 20252.84.3
Aug. 20252.84.3
Sept. 20252.84.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20252.74.5
Dec. 20252.74.4
Jan. 20262.74.3
Feb. 20262.74.4
March 20262.74.3
April 20262.84.3
May 20263.04.3
June 20263.24.2
July 20263.44.1
Aug. 20263.44.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, Alabama and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Alabama: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

54%56%58%60%62%64%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthAlabamaUnited States
Sept. 201657.162.9
Oct. 201657.162.8
Nov. 201657.162.7
Dec. 201657.062.7
Jan. 201757.062.8
Feb. 201757.062.9
March 201757.062.9
April 201757.063.0
May 201756.962.8
June 201756.962.8
July 201756.962.9
Aug. 201756.962.9
Sept. 201756.863.1
Oct. 201756.862.7
Nov. 201756.862.7
Dec. 201756.862.7
Jan. 201856.962.7
Feb. 201857.063.0
March 201857.262.9
April 201857.362.9
May 201857.462.9
June 201857.463.0
July 201857.463.0
Aug. 201857.462.6
Sept. 201857.462.8
Oct. 201857.462.9
Nov. 201857.562.9
Dec. 201857.663.0
Jan. 201957.763.1
Feb. 201957.863.1
March 201957.863.0
April 201957.762.8
May 201957.762.9
June 201957.763.0
July 201957.763.1
Aug. 201957.763.1
Sept. 201957.763.2
Oct. 201957.763.3
Nov. 201957.763.3
Dec. 201957.663.3
Jan. 202057.463.3
Feb. 202057.263.3
March 202057.062.6
April 202055.460.1
May 202057.360.8
June 202057.361.5
July 202057.561.5
Aug. 202057.561.7
Sept. 202057.661.4
Oct. 202057.461.7
Nov. 202057.261.5
Dec. 202057.061.5
Jan. 202156.661.4
Feb. 202156.561.4
March 202156.461.5
April 202156.461.6
May 202156.461.6
June 202156.361.7
July 202156.261.8
Aug. 202156.261.7
Sept. 202156.261.7
Oct. 202156.361.8
Nov. 202156.461.9
Dec. 202156.562.0
Jan. 202256.762.2
Feb. 202256.762.3
March 202256.862.4
April 202256.862.2
May 202256.862.3
June 202256.862.2
July 202256.762.1
Aug. 202256.762.3
Sept. 202256.662.2
Oct. 202256.562.2
Nov. 202256.562.1
Dec. 202256.662.3
Jan. 202356.762.4
Feb. 202356.862.5
March 202356.962.6
April 202357.062.6
May 202357.062.6
June 202357.162.6
July 202357.262.6
Aug. 202357.262.8
Sept. 202357.262.7
Oct. 202357.362.6
Nov. 202357.362.8
Dec. 202357.462.5
Jan. 202457.462.5
Feb. 202457.462.6
March 202457.562.7
April 202457.562.6
May 202457.562.6
June 202457.562.6
July 202457.662.7
Aug. 202457.662.7
Sept. 202457.762.7
Oct. 202457.762.5
Nov. 202457.862.4
Dec. 202457.862.5
Jan. 202557.862.6
Feb. 202557.862.5
March 202557.762.5
April 202557.762.6
May 202557.662.4
June 202557.562.3
July 202557.562.2
Aug. 202557.562.3
Sept. 202557.662.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202557.762.5
Dec. 202557.662.4
Jan. 202657.662.1
Feb. 202657.562.0
March 202657.561.9
April 202657.361.8
May 202657.261.8
June 202657.161.5
July 202656.961.4
Aug. 202656.861.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    73.8 years

    plus or minus 0.11 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; Alabama is 3.7 years lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    47 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Tennessee, or from the next lower state, Louisiana.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    8.24%

    plus or minus 0.26%

    U.S.
    8.20%; Alabama is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.04 points higher).
    Rank
    19 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Utah, or from the next lower state, South Dakota.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    29.85%

    plus or minus 0.51%

    U.S.
    36.85%; Alabama is 7.00 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    44 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Oklahoma.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    58.7%

    plus or minus 4.5%

    U.S.
    65.3%; Alabama is 6.6 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    47 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, South Dakota, or from the next lower state, Hawaii.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV